Brantly B-2B N2141U

Summary

On 5 May 2003 at about 20:30 local time, a Brantly B-2B registered N2141U was involved in an accident near Lantana, Florida, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

5 May 2003 at 20:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Lantana, Florida, United States

Nearest airport

Lantana (LNA)

Coordinates

26.5883, -80.0800

Aircraft

Brantly B-2B

Registration

N2141U

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Lantana → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

MIA03LA104

2 people had minor injuries.

The pilot/owner's failure to maintain rotor rpm which resulted in a loss of control. Contributing factors were high gross weight and high density altitude.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The helicopter was hovering when it descended and collided with the ground. The pilot/owner stated that the accident occurred during an orientation flight, and as he took off, he had about 21 gallons of fuel on board. He said that along with the fuel and he and his passenger the helicopter was slightly over weight for the density altitude. He said that all they could do were some hovering maneuvers until enough fuel had been expended and the weight was reduced. He stated that he performed maneuvers while demonstrating how difficult it was to hold rotor rpm, and subsequently turned the helicopter controls over to the pilot-rated passenger, later taking control of the helicopter only when the crash was imminent. The pilot rated passenger stated that he met the pilot/owner of the accident helicopter on the day of the accident, and the pilot/owner invited him to go for a ride. He said he was seated in the left seat, and the pilot/owner was seated in the right seat, and that the pilot/owner was the one flying the helicopter. Information supplied by the pilot/owner showed that he had possessed a commercial rotorcraft certificate, and had accumulated a total of 139 rotorcraft flight hours in the same make and model as the accident helicopter. The pilot-rated passenger possessed a rotorcraft instructor rating and at the time of the accident, said he had a total of 950 total rotorcraft flight hours, of which 6 flight hours were in a Bell 206. The pilot rated passenger's remaining flight hours were in Robinson helicopters. The passenger stated that the accident flight was his first time in a Brantly helicopter.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.